Needle-holder.



No. 776,688. PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904. G. F. RICHTER.

NEEDLE HOLDER.

APPLIGA TION FILED DEU- 26. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

I wi/l -meoow awe/whoa CW {mum Patented December 6, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

GUSTAV F. RICHTER, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

NEEDLE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 776,688, datedDecember 6, 1904.

Application filed December 26, 1908. Serial No. 186,533- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAv F. RICHTER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn,city and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle-Holders, oiwhich the following is a full, clear, and concise specification.

My invention relates to holders for surgical needles, and moreparticularly has to do with an improved form of instrument capable ofholding needles of various styles and sizes firmly and securely withoutdanger of breaking or distorting them, the object of my invention beingthe production of a holder i'ulfilling the above requirements, and whichfrom the principle of its action and the disposition of its strains isenabled tobe of slender form without sacrifice of rigidity or strengthof grip, thereby producing a holder specially suited for delicateoperations'and for convenient use in confined and inaccessible quarters.

My invention also involves numerous and other prominent featuresofadvantage over existing instruments, hereinafter fully described, andmore particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings, which form a part ofthis specification, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a completeneedle-holder embodying the principle of my invention. Figs. 2, 3, and iare respectively enlarged side elevation, plan, and end views of thejaws of the same. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are similar enlarged views of amodified form. Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective View of the lower jawof said modified form. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a furthermodification styled a universal holder. Fig. 10 is a plan of the lowerjaw of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 isa plan of the upper jaw, and Fig. 12 is an endview of Fig. 9 in closed position.

It will be observed from Fig. 1 that the holder is comprised of theusual spring-handles 1 and 2, hinged or pivoted together, so as to bereadily separable in the usual manner, and provided with a suitablespring and locking mechanism, as is customary in apparatus of this type.

My invention has no concern with the style of separable joint, nor withthe form or construction of the spring or look, and further descriptionof the same will therefore be unnecessary, it being understood thatother forms of joints and styles of handle may be substituted for theoneshown, according to the op tion of the manufacturer or the fancy ofthe user, without in any way departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention. It is desirable, however, that the handles be provided withsuitable means for limiting their opening movement while in action,which is conveniently and usually effected by confining the play of thespring.

The principle of the clamping action of my improved holder is that ofthe inclined plane or wedge so arranged that the larger component of thepressure acting to clamp and hold the needle is exerted in a directionsubstantially coincident with the longitudinal axes of the jaws and istaken up as compression and extension strain in these members ratherthan in lateral or bending strains, such as occur in holders of theforceps type. By thus disposing of the greater part of the strain it isobvious that the two jaws may be made with very small cross-sectionalarea and the needle may be held almost at the very tip of the instrumentin unobstructed view of the operator. The lower clamping member or jaw 3is formed atits end with an upwardlyprojecting lip 4:, the inner or rearface of which constitutes a thrust or bearing surface against which theneedle is adapted to be clamped. The corresponding end of the uppermember or jaw 5 is formed with a clamping-surface 6, the latter beingeccentric to its pivot or inclined to its own path of movement, so thatas the jaws close together the space between the two clamping-surfacesis gradually narrowed, and a needle placed in the seat between them willbe securely clamped with a pressure dependent upon the eccentricity ofthe surface 6 and the pressure 9 applied to the handles; but the strainof this pressure-in the jaws is mostly endwise, as above explained. Thetwo jaws, which are of unequal length, as shown, are pivoted togetherwith their respective thrust and wedging surfaces so disposed as to beintersected by the plane which is common to both of their longitudinalaxes, and, moreover, the direction of the relative movement of the twoclamping-surfaces lies in the plane which is determined by the anglebetween the said lip and jaw or by the respective axes of said lip andjaw. The needle-seat extends in a direction transverse to the plane ofmovement of the jaws and handles, thereby enabling the instrument to beused with the greatest facility and in the manner of the ordinaryforceps, and the thrust-bearing surface is finished so as to be straightin the direction of the axis of'the seat, as is also the inclinedclampingsurface, so that that portion of the needle which is between theclamping-surfaces is clamped with substantially uniform pressure at allpoints without setting up distorting or bending strains, the needlebeing held in its seat with its top side exposed and free from pressure.While both of the clamping-surfaces are arranged transverse to thegeneral plane of the proximate faces of the clamping members, it is notnecessary that either be perpendicular thereto, nor that the twosurfaces be parallel when the jaws are in closed position. A verypractical angle for the thrust-surface is one slightly inclined fromninety degrees toward the needle-seat, so that its upper edge will benearest the inclined or eccentric surface, as this prevents the needlesticking to the latter when the jaws are opened. The lower jaw isprovided with a cavity or slot 7 adjacent the transverse surface toprovide clearance for the end of the clamping-surface and permit thelatter to descend far enough to bear firmly against the narrowest-sizeneedles, excess of pressure, as with larger needles, being of coursetaken up in the resiliency of the spring-handles l and 2 in the usualmanner.

The modified form shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 is a reversal of theconstruction just described in that the directions of the strains in thetwo jaws are reversed. The lower memher 8 is rabbeted at its end, asshown more plainly in Fig. 8, and the surface 9 constitutes the thrustor bearing surface for the needle, while the portion 10 forms the bottomof the needle-seat. The upper member 11 is substantially the same shapeas in Fig. 2; but the inclined or eccentric surface 12 is on the rearside of its hook-shaped end in such relation to the thrust-surface 9that it serves to clamp the needle, as in the manner above described.The end of the portion 10 is slotted analogously to the cavity oraperture 7 to provide clearance for the wedging or clamping portion ofthe other jaw. In both forms, however, a small ledge is left intactbetween the cavity and the adjacent surface, which acts as a support forthe needle to prevent it from following the wedging-surface, and therebybecoming subjected to unusual lateral strain or becoming distorted orbroken.

It will be observed that in both of the abovedescribed forms the upperjaw is thinner than the lower jaw, being tapered laterally toward itstip, so that it may enter the clearance-aperture when the jaws are inclosed position, and also that the end of the upper jaw adjacent theoverlapping portion of the lower jaw is deeper in the direction of itsmovement than its central portion or the part intermediate of its ends,which might be designated the shank of the jaw, this shape and relativedimensions being a point of importance in my invention in that itcombines requisite strength with unobstructed view of the needle or itsseat.

The modified form of Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12 represents a universalholder adapted to hold needles at different angles with the axis of theinstrument, but nevertheless in positions transverse to the plane ofmovement of the jaws and handles. The principle of the wedge is alsopresent in the action of this form; but the directions of the strainsare not all substantially coincident with the axes of the clampingmembers. The lower member 1a is provided with a transversethrust-surface 15 and two diagonal thrust-surfaces 16 and 17, formed bythe three intersecting channels, as shown in Fig. 10, thus providingthree distinct needle-seats of different directions. The upper jaw 18 isprovided with a post or wedge-like projection adapted to enter theaperture 19 in the lower jaw when moved toward the clamping or closedposition, and the sides of the post adjacent to the three thrustsurfacesare slightly flattened, Fig. 11, but are nevertheless slightly eccentricto the path of their movement, so that a needle in any of the threeseats will be firmly clamped in the manner heretofore described. Theaperture 19 extends close to the thrust-stu'faces, leaving, however, aslight ledge adjacent each of them, which is similar to the ledge 13,above described, and serves the same purpose. Obviously the strains inthe jaws when holding a needle in one of the diagonal seats are notstrictly in the direction of the axis of the jaws, but they are taken upfor the most part in the post and the opposite side of the aperture andlittle, if any, appears as transverse or bending strain in the jawmembers.

In all of the above forms it will be observed that small crevices andcorners liable to catch septic matter are avoided. The aperturesallowing clearance for the clamping-surfaces extend entirely through themembers and are consequently capable of easy and thorough sterilization,

I claim 1. In a surgical-needle holder, a jaw pro vided with athrust-surface disposed transversely thereof, a second jaw pivoted tothe first and having an eccentric surface movable edgewise toward thethrust-surface so as to narrow the space between them, in combinationwith a needle-seat transverse to the movement of said surfaces and abottom for said seat for supporting the needle against distortinglateral strains.

2. In a needle-holder, a pair of jaws, one of said jaws having awedge-surface and the other a corresponding thrust-surface, incombination with a needle-seat between said surfaces and a bottom forsaid seat supporting the needle against movement with saidwedge-surface.

3. In a needle-holder, a pair of jaws, one of said jaws having awedge-surface and the other having a corresponding thrust-surface, acavity adjacent one of said surfaces affording clearance for the otherand a needle-seat between the surfaces.

t. In a needle-holder, a pair of jaws relatively movable toward and fromeach other in a common plane, one of said jaws havinga wedge-surface andthe other having a corresponding thrust-surface, the said surfaces beingintersected by the common plane, and a needle-seat between the surfaces.

5. In a needle-holder, a pair of relatively movable jaws, projectionsfrom the proximate faces thereof, one of said projections having a sideslightly inclined to the direction of said relative movement and actingas a wedge, in combination with a needle-seat between said inclined sideand the other projection.

6. In a needle-holder, a pair of relatively movable jaws, one of saidjaws having a wedging-surface extending toward the other jaw and theother jaw having a thrust snrface cooperating with said wedging-surfaceand a needleseat having a bottom side supporting the needle, saidneedle-seat being open on the side opposite its bottom to expose the topof the needle.

7. In a needle-holder, a pair of pivoted jaws having formed thereonrespectively a wedging and a cooperating thrust-surface, a needleseatbetween said surfaces wherein the needle is held parallel with theproximate faces of said jaws with its top surface exposed and free frompressure.

8. In a surgical-needle holder, a pair of clamping members arranged tohave movement toward and from each other and provided respectively witha thrust and a wedge-surface, said surfaces being disposed transverselyto the proximate faces of said movable members, an aperture in themember having the thrust-surface, adapted to receive said wedgesurfaceand a needle-seat between said surfaces parallel to said proximatefaces.

9. In a needle-holder, a pair of jaws provided respectively withclamping surfaces movable edgewise toward each other to narnow the spacebetween them, a cavity in one jaw adjacent the clamping-surface thereofto provide clearance for the other surface, and a ledge betiveen saidcavity and its adjacent surface piwtviding a support for the needleagainst distorting strains.

10. In a DQBLllQ'lIOlClGIQEL jaw with a wed gingsurface and'ga jaw witha cooperating thrustsurface, said surfaces being adapted to clamp aneedle between them with the top side of said needle exposed and freefrom pressure, one of said jaws having an aperture adjacent itsclamping-surface affording clearance for the other surface, and a ledgebetween said aperture and its adjacent surface to support the needleagainst distorting strains.

11. In a surgical-needle holder, a pair of pivoted jaws providedrespectively with a thrust-surface and an eccentric clamping-surface,the latter acting as a wedge with respect to said thrust-surface, andthe said thrust-surface being inclined from the direction of therelative movement of the jaws with its upper edge nearest the eccentricsurface when the jaws are in closed position, substantially asdescribed.

12. In a needle-holder, a pivoted jaw having a thrust-surface transverseto the inner face thereof and disposed at an acute angle with thelongitudinal or radial axis thereof, in combination with a needle-seatin said angle and a second jaw having a wcdging-surface transverse toitsinner face and disposed on the opposite side of said needle-seat.

13. In a needle-holder, a jaw with a projecting lip formed thereon at anangle to the longitudinal axis thereof and provided with athrust-surface on said lip, in combination with a second jaw providedwith a wedge-surface cooperating with said thrust-surface and movablerelatively toward the same in the plane of the angle formed by the lipand the said axis of the jaw, and a needle-seat between said twosurfaces.

14. In a needle-holder, the combination of a jaw having a lip formed atan angle to the axis thereof and a thrust-surface provided by said lip,a second jaw provided with a wedgesurface complementary to saidthrust-surface and movable relatively toward the same in the plane ofthe said angle of lip and axis, a cavity adjacent one of said surfacesand a support for a needle between said surface and cavity.

15. In a needle-holder, a pair of jaws of unequal length pivoted toswing toward and from each other, a lip formed on the end of the longerjaw overlapping the end of the other jaw, clamping-surfaces respectivelyon said lip and jaw end, and a needle-seat between said surfaces.

16. In a needle-holder, a jaw provided with aclamping-surface transverseto its inner side and a slot therein adjacent said surface, a second jawtapered, as to its lateral dimension, toward its forward end to lit saidslot and pivoted to said first-mentioned jaw, the dimension of saidsecond jaw in the direction of its movement being greater at its forwardend than at its central portion, and a needle-seat adjacent saidclamping-surface.

17 A needleholder comprising pivoted jaws, a thrust-surface on one ofthem transverse to its inner face and forming an acute angle therewith,a cavity adjacent said surface and a supporting-ledge between the sameand said cavity, in combination with a wedgingsurface on the other jawtransverse to its inner face and having clearance in said cavity, and aneedle-seat between said two surfaces, the several parts being arrangedto clamp a needle therein with pressure exerted substantially in thedirection of the axes of said jaws, substantially as described.

